Day 30 - On British Pharmaceutical Recommendations

Sunday, April 10 - Day 30

My cough is slowly beginning to extricate itself from my lungs, where it had settled in recent weeks after a month of a more nomadic existence. The cotrimoxazole I take has been moving it along. What do I know about cotrimoxazole? First, one of the kids is taking it for a persistent cough. Second, a full course (2 tablets morning & night) costs 90 pesewas, about 60 cents US. Third, it’s not amoxycilin-based. And fourth, as Sophie found on a brief phone background check for me, it’s strong enough that the governing British pharmaceuticals body recommends its use in very few situations; one, fortunately, is acute recurrences of chronic bronchitis, my likely ailment. 

The antibiotics situation is mind-boggling here. For sixty cents with no prescription, you can get a full course of a drug the Brits would only use for pneumonia and chronic bronchitis. It’s shocking that any illnesses at all still respond to the drugs. There could easily be a major resistance crisis sometime in the next decade or two.

Speaking of medicine, Justice’s toe is looking great today. The new layer of skin is almost fully formed and the iodine barely stung it. The restorative powers of the human body are a marvel to  observe in action.

Speaking of today, I went to church again today! Jackie and I joined the children for another hot Sunday morning at Word of Faith. Rather than testimonials, there was a sermon this week from Pastor John. He’s a good speaker and followed a couple of Bible passages in encouraging us to repent for any sin as everything matters to God. Pastor John emphatically declared mid-sermon, “Why do you want to look good before me?! I am not God!” Well said.

Life generally continues to be good. It’s gotten easier to manage medicines for 67 kids, too many of them with fevers, between two of us (though the rest of the volunteers stepping back in on Tuesday will be very nice). My clothes are clean and I took a bucket shower recently. I get real food in a week and Jackie and I split two pineapples this past week. The Methodist kids started a five-week school break on Friday and the WoF kids are gearing up for their two-week break to begin this Friday. Goats and chickens, many trailed by 5 or 6 adorable chicks, continue to wander along the dirt roads and among the banana trees. This morning, it rained.